After Tooth Extractions

After Tooth Extractions, it is important to form blood clots to stop bleeding and start the healing process. Therefore, your dentist will ask you to bite a piece of gauze for 30 to 45 minutes after extraction. If bleeding or oozing continues after you remove the gauze bandage, gauze, place an area and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may need to do this several times.

After the blood clot forms, it is important to protect, in particular for the next 24 hours. It is important not to:

o smoke and chew tobacco

o drinking alcohol

o suck through a straw

o rinse your mouth vigorously

o clean the teeth next to the extraction site

These activities will reap the clot and delay healing.

Limit yourself to calm activities for the first 24 hours. This keeps your blood pressure, reduces bleeding and helps the healing process.

After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and swelling. You can use an ice pack (20 minutes, 20 minutes off) to keep this to a minimum. The inflammation usually begins to decline after 48 hours.

To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended. Do not take medication on an empty stomach or nausea may cause. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take for the prescribed time, even if all the signs and symptoms of infection have disappeared. In addition:

o Drink lots of fluids.

o Eat only soft, nutritious foods on the day of the extraction.

o Don't use alcoholic beverages.

o Avoid hot and spicy foods.

You can begin eating normally the next day, or if not before then, as soon as it is comfortable. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water three times a day (put a teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water, then rinse gently swish and spit). Also, rinse gently after meals. This will keep the food off site.

It is very important to continue with normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing your teeth and tongue and flossing at least once a day. This will accelerate the healing process and helps keep your breath fresh and mouth. Call the dental office immediately if you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling after two or three days, or reactions to medications. After a few days, you will feel good and can continue to function normally.

Dry socket is an infection in your socket after a tooth is extracted. The disease usually develops when a blood clot does not fit, or if the clot breaks off. It is occurs in about 5 percent of all Tooth Extractions.

Normally, promoting blood clot that forms after a tooth is removed from healing, on the basis of new bone growth. When dry socket occurs, the clot of blood lost and the infected, inflamed socket appears empty - hence the name. Nerves are exposed, and sometimes the bone is visible in the empty pedestal.

You may not have symptoms until 3-5 days after extraction. Then, the disease is manifested by pain persists, often accompanied by what looks like an earache. You may also have an unpleasant taste in the mouth and bad breath. Call your dentist immediately if you notice any symptoms of dry socket. Treatment of dry socket typically includes a gentle rinse of making and dressing to take sedatives.